


At My Request

by flipflop_diva



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Finale, Team Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 02:03:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2211636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipflop_diva/pseuds/flipflop_diva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha needs a favor. And there is only one group of people she can trust to help her with this. Set post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier and post-ep for the season finale of Agents of SHIELD. So many spoilers up to then. Based on the prompt <i>Another MCU character calls on the AOS team.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	At My Request

**Author's Note:**

  * For [htbthomas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/htbthomas/gifts).



> htbthomas: Thank you for your prompt! I had so much fun with this. I'm not sure it's exactly what you were hoping for, but I hope you like it!

She was the last person Melinda May expected to see when she opened the door to her room, but there she was, standing on the other side of the bed, face unreadable, arms crossed across her chest, tapping her foot like she had been waiting for an appointment with someone who was very, very late.

Melinda blinked in surprise, giving herself away before she forced herself to regain her composure.

“Natasha,” she said evenly. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Natasha Romanoff’s gaze was steely as she looked at Melinda. Or maybe looked through her. Melinda was never quite sure when it came to Natasha.

She was dressed in her usual black — tight pants, jacket, boots. Her hair was slightly longer than the last time Melinda had seen her and completely straight.

“It would have been nice of you to tell me,” Natasha said.

Melinda just looked at her, “Tell you what?” written across her face.

“That Coulson was alive.”

Oh.

“That’s not mine to tell,” Melinda answered, matching Natasha’s even tone.

“I thought we were friends.”

“You don’t do friends.”

“I thought you trusted me.”

“I thought Fury would have told you.”

Something flashed across Natasha’s face, but it was gone too quickly for Melinda to tell what it was.

“So are you going to tell me why you’re here?” Melinda said, now moving more into the room and finally shutting the door behind her. She could hear voices down the hall — Skye, Jemma, Trip, probably heading for the kitchen — and she figured if Natasha wanted to announce herself to everyone, she would have done so from the beginning.

Natasha finally uncrossed her arms and stopped tapping her foot. “I need your help,” she said, and her voice was lower than normal.

“Okay.”

“I assume you heard all about the Winter Soldier.”

“Of course.”

“I want to find him.”

“I thought Cap was searching for him?” Melinda said.

Natasha shrugged. “He is. But I … I owe him. I want to help. And I might have a lead.”

She pulled something out of her jacket pocket. A portable USB drive.

“Okay,” Melinda said.

“It’s sensitive,” Natasha said. “And encrypted. I can’t just plug it into a laptop in the Apple store.”

“So you came here?”

“You all are still S.H.I.E.L.D.,” she said, like it was the most obvious thing. “If anyone can help break this, it’s you.”

“How did you know we were here?” Melinda didn’t bother asking her how she got in. Natasha could get in anywhere she wanted.

Natasha’s lip curled up a little. “I know everything,” she said.

Melinda cocked her head and stared at her. She could do the intimidation thing just as well. 

“Fine,” Natasha said. “Maria Hill might have told me. But don’t worry,” she added, “she made me swear I couldn’t tell anyone else. Not even Steve.”

The way she said Steve made Melinda arch a brow at her. Natasha pretended not to notice.

“Will you help me?” she said.

“You know that means seeing Coulson, right?” Melinda said. “There is no way I can get you access to everything without someone knowing. We’re a little paranoid around here after … well, after everything that happened. I’m sure you understand.”

Natasha nodded. “I know,” she said. 

“Okay,” Melinda said. “Then there’s someone you should meet. She’s probably the only person better with computers than you.”

Natasha frowned. “How is that even possible?” she said.

•••

Jemma, Skye and Trip were in the kitchen — pretty much their favorite after-midnight spot to gather — and, as usual, they were picking through cookies and donuts and a random cake that Melinda didn’t even want to know where it had come from. They all stopped what they were doing and turned around when Melinda opened the door.

“I thought you went to bed,” Trip said.

“There’s someone I want you to meet,” Melinda said. She gestured behind her, and Natasha walked through the door. Or rather, she almost sashayed. 

The other three did not need an introduction.

Skye almost choked on the donut she was eating, Trip’s eyes went wide and Jemma practically spluttered, “Black Widow!”

Natasha came as close to almost smiling as she ever did (which, really, barely qualified). “You can call me Natasha,” she said.

Skye managed to swallow down her donut. “I’m Skye,” she said, and held her hand out. “It’s truly an honor to meet you.”

Natasha shook her hand. Skye turned to Trip and whispered, not so softly, “My first Avenger!”

Melinda rolled her eyes and pointed to the other two gawkers. “Trip. Simmons,” she said, and they both also shook hands with Natasha.

“You can call me Jemma,” Jemma said.

“Sure,” Natasha said. She looked at Melinda pointedly.

“Skye,” Melinda said. “Natasha needs your help.”

Skye wasn’t even eating anything this time, but she almost choked again. “ _My_ help?” she repeated when she could breathe once more.

Natasha held up the USB drive.

“She says you can crack this for me,” she said. “I hear you’re the best.”

Skye shot Melinda a look, like she could not at all believe Melinda had actually said such a thing out loud, least of all to Black Widow, but she smiled broadly and said, “I am.”

Natasha handed her the USB and Skye studied it.

“Okay,” Skye said. “Come this way. Can you tell me what you think is on it, or what I’m looking for?”

“No,” Natasha said, as she followed Skye out the door.

Trip and Jemma looked at each other and then at Melinda.

“Just stay out of their way,” Melinda said, and she watched as the two almost ran down the hall after them. Melinda shook her head. She wasn’t sure she trusted the Avengers fangirls and fanboy over there to not embarrass themselves around Natasha, but there was something she needed to do first.

•••

He was in his office poring over documents. Melinda knocked and waited until he let her in.

“This is a late-night call,” Phil said to her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is actually wrong,” Melinda said.

“So you’re here for the conversation and my pleasant company?”

“I’m here because there is something you should know.”

“That sounds ominous.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“May,” Phil said, and he rested his hands together. “What do you need to tell me?”

“Black Widow is here.”

Phil started. His mouth dropped open just slightly. 

“Huh,” he finally said. “I did not expect that.”

“To be fair, sir,” Melinda said. “Neither did I.”

“Why?”

“She wants our help. Skye’s help really. Cracking some files.”

“How did she know we were here?”

“She said Hill told her. She didn’t specify, but I assume Fury told Hill to tell her.”

Phil nodded. “Does she know?” he asked quietly, and it was obvious what he meant.

Melinda nodded. “I don’t think she’s happy she didn’t know before.”

“I’m not happy I couldn’t tell them.”

“I know.”

“It must be important if Fury would let Hill tell her.”

“She mentioned trying to find the Winter Soldier.”

“Ahh,” Phil said, and he stood up. “So it is important.”

•••

Skye and Natasha were hunched over the main frame in the computer room, staring at something. Jemma and Trip stood behind them, trying to contain their excitement. Melinda hoped Iron Man never showed up unexpectedly. Or worse, Captain America.

Natasha turned around before Melinda and Phil even finished taking their first step into the room. She always was aware of everything.

She smiled when she saw Phil. An actual real smile. Melinda wasn’t sure she could ever recall that happening before.

“It’s nice to see you alive,” Natasha said, and Phil beamed at her. 

“It’s nice to see you at all,” he said. He stepped forward, and she left the computer, stepping into his embrace.

“I wanted to tell you,” Melinda heard Phil whisper to her.

Natasha, still in his arms, barely nodded. He let go of her and stepped back.

“I hear you’re in charge now,” she said.

“Do you want a job?”

Natasha smirked. “Not yet,” she said. “But maybe someday.”

“I’ll keep your resume on file then.”

She turned back to the computer. Phil went to stand by her side, Melinda by her other side.

“What do we have?” Phil asked Skye.

“Encryption,” she said. “Multiple layers of it. Encryption after encryption after encryption. Surrounded by tracking devices and safeguards and alarms.”

“Can you get decode it?” Natasha asked. 

“Of course,” Skye said, and Phil smiled.

“She’s the best,” he told Natasha, like a proud father. Melinda would have rolled her eyes if it hadn’t made her smile. Natasha nodded like she wasn’t impressed, but Melinda knew her enough to know she was. Slightly.

“How long will it take?” Natasha asked.

Skye shrugged. “Four, five hours,” she said. “Probably by morning. Which, hey,” she turned around to look at everyone, “who wants to get me a donut?”

•••

Skye was true to her word. Four hours and twelve minutes later she knocked on Phil’s door where he, Natasha and Melinda were all half-asleep and proudly proclaimed she had done it.

She held out a USB drive to Natasha — a different one than the one Natasha had given her just hours before — and waited till she took it.

“It’s all on there,” Skye told her. “In readable format. No tracking software. No one will know if you open it.”

Natasha stuffed it in her pocket. “Thank you,” she said. Melinda knew she wanted to ask Skye if she’d read what was on there, but she didn’t. Instead, she turned to Phil.

“Don’t be a stranger,” she said. She stepped in to hug him. “You know where to find me.”

She turned to Melinda after. “Thank you,” she said, and Melinda just nodded. “Anytime,” she answered.

“And thank you,” Natasha said to Skye, who grinned.

“So very happy to help!”

And then Natasha was gone, back the way she had come, however that was.

Phil waited a few minutes, checking his watch to count the seconds. Finally, he looked up, sure she really wasn’t coming back.

“Did you see what was on there?”

“Of course,” Skye said. “I made copies.” She paused. “She knows that, doesn’t she?”

“Probably,” Phil and May both answered.

“Is she going to kill me?”

“Probably not,” Phil said.

“So what do we do now?” Skye said, and Phil smiled.

“We get to work,” he said. “I think we have a Winter Soldier to find.”


End file.
